Thymus and pulmonary lymph node response to acute and subchronic ozone inhalation in the mouse

Journal Article · Sat Nov 30 23:00:00 EST 1985 · Environ. Res.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6904690

Dziedzic, D; White, H J

Ozone is an oxidant gas which primarily injures the centroacinar portion of the lung. While the classical lesion of oxidant-mediated lung damage is relatively well described, the effect of this form of injury on the lymphocytic arm of the pulmonary defense system is less clear. In the present experiments Cd-1 female mice were exposed to ozone at a level of 0.7 ppm for 20 hr per day for 1-28 days and the lymphocyte response was observed in the pulmonary lymph nodes and the thymus. In the mediastinal lymph nodes a marked hyperplastic response was observed that was prominent in the paracortex and was characterized by the presence of blastic forms. In contrast, the thymus underwent an atrophic response characterized by cellular loss in the cortical region. Prior surgical adrenalectomy of ozone-exposed animals eliminated part, but not all of the thymic atrophy response, indicating that adrenal-mediated stress alone did not account for all the observed effect. Thymectomy of animals prior to ozone exposure produced a 40% reduction in the mediastinal lymph node response, suggesting that a part of the node hyperplasia is thymus dependent. The results of these experiments indicate that lymphoid organs are altered following oxidant-mediated lung damage in the mouse. The changes are observed in the absence of exogenous antigenic stimulation and suggest that lymphoid cells are in integral aspect of the host response to high-level ozone inhalation.

• Research Organization: General Motors Research Labs., Warren, MI
• OSTI ID: 6904690
• Journal Information: Environ. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: Environ. Res.; (United States) Vol. 38:2; ISSN ENVRA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMAL CELLS
ANIMALS
ATROPHY
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BLOOD
BLOOD CELLS
BODY
BODY FLUIDS
CELL PROLIFERATION
CONNECTIVE TISSUE CELLS
INHALATION
INJURIES
INTAKE
LEUKOCYTES
LYMPH NODES
LYMPHATIC SYSTEM
LYMPHOCYTES
MAMMALS
MATERIALS
MICE
ORGANS
OZONE
PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES
RODENTS
SOMATIC CELLS
THYMUS
TOXICITY
VERTEBRATES